Last year I got to a point where I just couldn’t ignore the state of the planet and my involvement in worsening its condition anymore. Now, I wasn’t about to upend my life overnight, but little by little over the last year I’ve been focusing on the things I can change to become more conscientious. With the help of being an avid reader of Sophie’s content, I made some changes which you may find beneficial and decide to implement into your own lives, so here they are:

Buy A Reusable Tea/Coffee Cup

I was talking about this last year and – as mentioned here – I got one over Christmas. It comes everywhere with me now and being able to say no to coffee cups from cafe’s etc… makes me feel much happier about getting coffee on the go.

Buy A Reusable Water Bottle

Himself bought me this lovely water bottle and again, like the reusable coffee cup, I haven’t been without it since. When I’m in the office it sits next to me on the desk and when I’m at the gym it comes around with me too. Subsequently I drink an awful lot more water than I used to which is just the business because my skin and energy levels have had a pretty immediate and very positive response as a result!

Research Alternative Feminine Hygiene Products

Even a cursory bit of research will tell you that the feminine hygiene products we are more used to seeing in supermarket aisles and convenience stores are packed full of plastic, wash up on our beaches in their thousands all over the world EVERY DAY, plus the clincher – they literally aren’t good for your insides. So have a look around at what alternatives there are and see if any products could better your health in the long run in conjunction with doing your bit for the environment (as well as saving A LOT of your hard earned money). Good places to start are here, here, here and here (<- video rap battle included!)

Refuse Excess Plastic & Packaging and Carry Your Own Utensils

Buy your lunch on the move? Cool, but don’t grab one of those plastic knife and fork sets, bring in a knife and fork from home and keep them in your bag at all times. Things are slowly changing in the restaurant industry but if I’m handed a stack of napkins, straws etc… I refuse them. But for those of you who are straw Kings and Queens, please get a pack of these to use instead. “Although straws amount to a tiny fraction of ocean plastic, their size makes them one of the most insidious polluters because they entangle marine animals and are consumed by fish“. Lastly on this topic, sometimes – ya girl just needs to get a take away – and when it arrives, I always feel bad because of alllllll the packaging that’s used. To combat this, I wash out everything after we’ve eaten and recycle as much as I can. I also hold onto any plastic boxes and use them for lunches. I’m not reinventing the wheel here, but at least it’s something!

Bring Plants Into Your Home

OK so this has had more of an affect on me as a human than the planet but the effects of bringing plants into your home are extensive. They bring down carbon dioxide levels and increase humidity, they reduce the levels of certain pollutants, they keep  air temperatures down and a big, BIG one for me, they reduce airborne dust levels. I have a dust allergy so this has been an absolute game changer for me. One of the plants we have is a Peace Lily and NASA found it to be one of the top plants for purifying the air and I kid you not, we noticed a difference after just a couple of days in our home. Also, being surrounded by nature helps us to feel calmer and more relaxed, so bringing these beauties into your home and/or office space will aide a happier mind.

Carry A Tote Bag

If like me you tend to pick up bits and pieces when you’re on the move, having a small canvas tote bag in your handbag at all times is so helpful. I usually carry a backpack so don’t need the canvas bag, but on days when I’m just carrying a pretty handbag, I make sure to bring this along too.

The above have all become habits for me now, so I’m looking to add a few more changes, I’m thinking maybe cotton pads, buds – but what else?
Hit me up with the changes you’ve made that are worth doing!